Boimedical waste disposal rules to get tighter

Any doc generating even a gram of biomedical waste a day will have to be registered with pollution control board

Biomedical waste disposal rules will get stricter and any doctor, allopathic, ayurvedic, homoeopathic or unani, generating even a gram of biomedical waste a day will have to be registered with the pollution control board.

With renewed focus on addressing environmental and health concerns, the Centre is amending the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998 and the Environment Ministry has prepared a draft of the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011 and invited suggestions and objections.

In Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area, there are 3,243 dispensaries, hospitals, labs and research institutes that generate 75,000 kg biomedical waste a month. In Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) area there are 1,002 clinics, hospitals, veterinary clinics and other health facilities that generate 28,580 kg biomedical every month.

As per the new rules, every state will have an advisory committee headed by the health secretary, and district level committees to monitor whether rules are being adhered to in hospitals and healthcare facilities, Joint Director of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board P K Mirashe told Newsline.

According to Mirashe, 50,104 doctors and healthcare establishments are registered with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and at least 44,000 kg of biomedical waste is generated daily. Apart from large hospitals, biomedical waste is also collected from clinics where there is a minimum OPD of 800-1,000 patients a month.

These doctors have to be registered with the MPCB now.

Another significant rule is proper disposal of mercury that may spill when thermometers or instruments to monitor blood pressure break. "Mercury is hazardous and needs to be carefully handled," says Mirashe.

Among other rules include inspection of healthcare facilities in establishments run by the armed forces after giving them a notice in advance.

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